Tire chain securing device



Oct. 28,'1947.

l. B. Hom 2,429,720

TIRE CHAIN SECURING DEVICE Filed Feb. l, 1944 Patented Oct. 28, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TIRE CHAIN SECURING DEVICE Ireneus Basil Holtz, Ashville, Pa.

' Application February 1, 1944, SerialNo. 520,656

3 Claims.

This invention relates to tire chains and is more particularly directed to an improvement in a split ring described and claimed in my Patent #2,328,808, granted September 7, 1943.

An object of the invention is the provision of a ring forming one support for cross chains of a tire chain for automobile wheels in which the ring is formed of two sections connected together so that these sections may be manipulated relatively for the easy application of a tire chain to a wheel.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a ring 'formed of a pair of hingedly connected sections to which the cross chains are attached at the inner side of the wheel with means for maintaining the sections properly hinged, while permitting the sections to be broken or readily disengaged for a quick removal of the chains from the wheel.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a ring forming a support for the cross chains at one side of the wheel with the ring being formed of sections which may be readily disengaged or connected to each other during the removal or application of the chains to a tire, a key pin forming the locking engagement :for the sections with the sections being held in operative relation by said key pin, the latter being adapted to be rotated to place the key pin in such position that the sections may be readily removed from each other.

This invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description, in view o'f the accompanying drawings forming a part of the specification; nevertheless, it is to be understood that the invention is not confined to the disclosure, being susceptible of such changes and modiiications as define no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims. Fig. 1 is a View in elevation of an automobile wheel showing the tire chain ring member applied to the inner face thereof.

Fig. 2 is a greatly enlarged side view of the jointed connection between the sections of a split ring, forming a support at one side of the wheel.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the hinged connection shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a vertical end view of the connection shown in Fig. 2 looking [from left to right.

Fig. 5 isa reduced end view, showing the sections moved relative to each other to disconnect them.

Fig. 6 is a vertical longitudinal section of a chain tension means.

Fig. 7 is a transverse section along the line 1 1 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary side View of the outer face of the wheel showing the tension means in position on the chain at this side of the wheel.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, I0 designates an automobile wheel having a tire I I to which, as illustrated, is applied a tire chain constructed according to the principles of the present invention. This chain consists of the usual number of cross links I2, which extend around the outer rim of the tire, with one end of each chain, as shown in Fig. 1, being connected to passages I3 formed in sections I4 and I5 of a split ring generally designated by the numeral I6. The other ends of the chain are connected in the usual manner to a circular chain which is located at the outer face of the vehicle wheel.

The ring i6 consists of iiat sections I4 and I5 and these connections are semi-circular, having a pair of their free ends adjacently disposed at Il and I8 which are connected with the outer circular chain 5I by the cross chains I2a and I2b. The -other two ends of the ring section which are to be locked together are enlarged widthwise, i. e., in the plane of the ring, as shown at 2li and 2l. These broader portions are located diametrically opposite the ends I 'I and I8 respectively. Y

As shown more particularly in Figs. 2 to 4, a bar 22 is welded or secured in any approved manner to the end of the enlargement 20 of the section I A, while a bar 23 is secured to the face of the enlargement 2| of the section I5. These bars have their inner faces in contact when the v tire chain is located in operative relation on the tire II. It will be noted -that the bars 22 and 23 are considerably thicker than the sections' I and I5 in order to give them suliicient strength to provide a jointed connection between the two sections. The outer face of the bar 22 as shown at 24 has a cam member for a purpose which will be presently explained. The outer face of the bar 23 has a b'oss 25. I

The members 22 and 23 have alined key hole slots, comprising respectively circular passages 21 and 32 which receive the shank 28 of a pin 29. The, left hand end of the pin carries a lateral extension 30 which when the pin 29 is turned a partial rotation rides upon the inclined surface 3l of the cam member 24, and because of the engagement of the head 35, at the opposite end of the pin, engaging the member 23 causes the latter to be locked against the member 22.V The pin -face `3 I.

with the projection at its inner end is key shaped and to accommodate its longitudinal movement the passages through the members are in the form of key holes so that it may be retracted when the lug 30 is disengaged from the cam surface. In order t prevent the complete retraction of the pin 25 a portion of the end of the slot in member 23 is closed, as indicated at 34.

The pin v29 extends through the .boss `25 and through a passage in'a spring washer 35 Which rests upon the outer end of the boss 25. A manipulating head 35 is secured to the outer end-of the pin 2S so that the spring 35 is'located between the member 36 and the boss 25. As shown in Fig. 2, when the projection 30 is inithexposition i illustrated said spring will beundercompression for maintaining the pin in such positon'for retaining the bars 22 and 23 in iiat contact :with each other, and the sections I4 and I5 in the positions shown in- Fig. -1.

The edge of the left hand face (Figa-Zini the :member 22 extends across the enlarged end 20 of the'semi-,circular ringI4-andthe corners of its top and'bottomiedges whichv are spaced from the -ring may be'curved. These -edges cooperate with `the overlying hook-like.. extensionsl 40. and 4I fon the venlargement 72 I l ofthe :semi-circular ring I5,

`said -extensions lhaving right angular extremities 42 and :43, respectively,-whichengage with the -leit'hand face of member-22 when the'twoportions Mfand I5 of the ring are in operativefposi- .tionfthe interlocking of said parts `being accompl-ished by placing-the faces of-membersvZZ and 23 against each other and either twisting one with .irelationrto-theaother about the Vpin 29,*orby fa bodily.crosswise'movementof these ends'of .the

ring sections for adistance suicientto pass ,the member 22 beneath the hooks 42,43.

As has .been stated, ,ther spring` 35, located be- `tweenlthe boss-25 and themanipulating. head? 36, exertspressure or a; pull lon the key 429,--so that the member 30 will be maintained onthe cam The cam may have a groove'toreceive the inner edge of the member 30when the `key pin isin'the-posit-ion :shown in Fig.,2, for aiding in maintaining the pin in operative position.

'When' itis desired' to remover the chain, the. key or-pin 29 may be rotated throughi180ffr0mthe position shown in Fig. 2, so that the member 3U V.will aline with theikey `opening of Vslot2I, and

the two sections I4 'andi I 5 .may be'rocke'd on the bar 23 as shown atfFig. .6, Whereuponit maybe :retracted until its projection3.0 engages theshoul- `der'34which, acting as a stop, permits the pin from becoming f lost `by disconnection from ring section 'I5. The ring sections being thus un- -locked, they may 'bereadily disengagedr by a slight relative lateralfmovernent sucient to disengage theimember2`21from the hooks or projectionsf'42 :and 43. `Iherin'g sections I4 and I5 beingithen 'only loosely connected attheir opposite extremi- `ties `byreason'of: thecross chains' I 2 and their connection in turnfwith the circular. chain '5 I enables the operator to separate themembers22and '23,

=suiiicientlyto ,withdraw the .antifskidf attachment ifrom the/wheel tire.

:In the application `of thedevice tofa tire, the

Thering I6,.as :shown in Fig. 1,:is in a position .on atire locatedonthe righthand wheel of the vehicle, with the ring being located at the inner face of the wheel. Fig. 1 also discloses the proper position of the ring I6 for removing the same and breaking the link by the rotation of the pin 29 from its position illustrated in Fig. 2, to the dotted line position.

It will be noted from this simplied construction that the split ring I6 may be readily broken for releasing the sections I4 and I5 from each other, f0rthe removal :or the application of the tireI chain to the vehicle with little orno trouble.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 6 to 8, in-

rclusive, it will be seen that a form of tension .meansggenerally designated by the numeral 50 for the 'tire chains is disclosed. The tension 'means-issconnected between the ends of a chain 5I which encircles the outer face of the wheel IIJ while the ring I6'is applied to the inner face ofz-thewheel. The member 50 maintains the chain in position when the cross chains I2 which are connectedtothe-sections V,I4 and vI5 of the split -ring-Iat one ;side vof theewheel and-the chain 5I =at the other side` ofsadwheel are arranged-over the tread of: the tire I I.

The member 50 isin the-formof an open cas- .ingand includes yaV pairlof `curved walls-52 and 53 .connected together at-the Yends thereof by disksfland The disk-55\has a boss 56 surrounding -a centralfopening r5'I. -A passage'58 is .located in the-diskf55 and;isin.communication with the opening 5l.

A rod or cable BEI-proj ects 'through the passage 5l andis .disposed 'along the.v longitudinal. axis of .the member .55. :The outer end'l is formed into an eye which is `-attachedfto one lend of the 'chain 5I by-a hookZ. The inner'end ofthe rod 60 is securedin anyapprovedmanner 'to the inner end offapoil-spring ``53flocated in the member 5G. The outer end of said spring is-secured to the disk 54.

A Wedgesh-aped member V54 is secured to a Hat springaSV-which in turn is securedvat to the disk kv55. The Wedge shaped'member-is in'fric- `tional contact--with Vthe `rod'or cable 53, and is movable intorthe passagelfii to limitor'prevent outwardmovement of the rodi 50 fromthe member1f5. The spring -willtend `at lall times to return-the rod withinthe member .rland release the wedge shaped `member' 54.

Anfeye "i6 :isfsecuredtogthe other end of the chain 5l so that said `chain Willbe maintained rvunder sufficient tensionto :retain the tirechain Ycnthe tire.

The head .-35 has a transverse passage 36a which -is adaptedtoreceivevasuitable tool for turning -the head and shank vWhendesired for placing the'projection 33 in orout key Aslot '33. I claim: Y1..'An1anti-skidtire attachment comprising a of. alinement with the twogpartring for the attachment of the cross chains, saidparts havingenlargements extending in the plane of the ring,.barsvattache'd to the enlargements and extending 'transversely thereof in face engagement and provided with alined openings, one of said enlargements having extensions hooking over the far side of the bar onl the other section and means for otherwise locking the bars together to prevent disengagement of said hooks.

3. An anti-skid tire attachment comprising a two-part ring for the attachment of the cross chains, said parts having enlargements extending in the plane of the ring, bars attached to the enlargements and extending transversely thereof in face engagement and provided with alined openings, one of said enlargements having extensions hooking over the far side of the bar on the other section, a cam surface on the outer face of one of the bars, a connecting pin extending through the two bars having a head engaging the outer face of the bar and provided with a finger for cooperation with said cam to hold the bars in contact with each other.

IRENEUS BASIL HOLTZ.

REFERENCES CITED i The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

